Pinotage Problems Persist on the WSJ

Capitalism’s corporate newsletter, the Wall Street Journal, has been forced to correct the recent bitter sweet paean to Pinotage by Lettie Teague. “An earlier version of this column incorrectly said Mr. Mandela didn’t love Pinotage, which his winery’s representative hadn’t been asked, and incorrectly said Vin de Constance had been his favorite.” A double put-down of Lettie and South Africa’s icon dessert wine (now under foreign ownership and management) by the country’s only living icon, Nelson Mandela.

Just when the WSJ ombudsman thought things couldn’t get any worse, Thursday’s blow job for the One&Only erroneously claims “many wealthy South Africans are in search of good value when they open Luvo Ntezo’s wine list. Years ago that would have meant drinking old South African mainstays like pinotage—a distinctively South African blend of Pinot Noir and Cinsaut — or Chenin Blanc.” Pinotage makes single varietal wines, as well as blends. It is not itself a blend but rather a cross of Pinot Noir and Cinsaut. A pavement special, if you like.

Does the WSJ not check facts? The same story claims “apart from being ringed by beautiful mountains and two great oceans, Cape Town is also surrounded by many of the country’s significant wine-making regions, which means Ntezo can hop in his car on a Saturday morning and, 40 minutes later, be drinking new offerings at the vineyards of his winemaker friends.” Which two great oceans would those be as the Atlantic only starts at Agulhas? Meanwhile, as the New York Times pointed out last week, Constantia – certainly a significant wine-making region – is only 20 minutes from down town.

After the recent appropriation of Jamie Foxx to market Dude Meister (Oude Meester) brandy – stand by for a Dude surge when Django Unchained kicks in – perhaps Distell will employ Denzel Washington to punt Guy Webber’s serially overlooked Stellenzicht Pinotage. Dave Jefferson reports in his latest movie Safe House, shot in Cape Town, rogue CIA agent Denzel expires praising Pinotage. Heck, Denzel almost sounds like Distell.